Antibodies to Matrix Metalloproteinases - Product Review 01

Introduction: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of more than twenty secreted and membrane-bound zincendopeptidases. Collectively, these enzymes can degrade all the components of the extracellular matrix, including fibrillar and non-fibrillar collagens, fibronectin, laminin and basement membrane glycoproteins.

In general, a signal peptide, a propeptide, and a catalytic domain containing the highly conserved zinc-binding site characterize the structure of the MMPs. In addition, fibronectin-like repeats, a hinge region, and a C-terminal hemopexin-like domain allow categorization of MMPs into the collagenase, gelatinase, stomelysin and membrane-type MMP subfamilies (see also figure on the right).

All MMPs are synthesized as proenzymes, and most of them are secreted from the cells as proenzymes. Thus, the activation of these proenzymes is a critical step that leads to extracellular matrix breakdown. MMPs are considered to play an important role in wound healing, apoptosis, bone elongation, embryo development, uterine involution, angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, and in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer´s, malignant gliomas, lupus, arthritis, periodontis, glumerulonephritis, atherosclerosis, tissue ulceration, and in cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

Antibody Tools for Detection of Human Matrix Metalloproteinases

Antibody products for detection of most of the above listed MMPs are available at Acris Antibodies.

A lot of these antibodies are useful for staining paraffin embedded sections (see picture gallery below).

In addition many products can be used for Western blotting procedures, but also immunoprecipitation experiments and ELISA applications are possible.